How do you know when you’ve ‘made it’ as a Brit?

A relaxed attitude to queueing, and a willingness to eat summery foods in the rain all add up to being that little more British

JAMES GLOSSOP

Carly Chynoweth

Monday June 10 2013, 1.00am, The Times

Part of becoming a British citizen is passing the government’s Life in the UK test, which can cover anything from our legal system to the achievements of prominent scientists and historians. Starting to feel British is, however, a slightly different thing. It’s not always the big things that matter; it’s about picking up the local attitude to life, said Arion McNicoll, an Australian journalist. “I knew I had turned at least a little British when I found myself plunging into the ocean on a trip back home during Sydney’s admittedly not-terribly-Arctic winter,” he said. “Most Australians pull on jumpers and heavy coats when the temperature drops below 20 degrees, and refrain from swimming until it is warm again.”